One Last Time
by dsashwood
Summary: The Dark Lord reigns, and Severus begs.


Rating: PG

Summary: The Dark Lord reigns, and Severus begs.

Pairing: SS/Dark Lord, Slash

_One Last Time_

D. S. Ashwood

There were dragons guarding the gates now, fierce fire-breathing Northern breeds, fruitlessly pulling at the end of thick steel chains.  He thought nothing about them but watched them go by in silence.  His carriage jostled up the gravelly path to the front gate and here there were not more dragons but Skrewts, those vicious experiments of – no, he wouldn't even think the name, there was no more time for names and remembering and feeling.  This was his moment and his last, and he had to make it worthwhile.

They waited in the Great Hall, a circle of black robes and silver masks, rather less of them than before.  He strode into the middle, robes billowing in the still air, smiled bitterly and tossed his wand carelessly onto the floor.  The rat immediately pounced on it but Voldemort never said a word.  His red snake-eyes were fixated on the face of the traitor, taking in every detail, every new crease, line, every mark of weariness and age.  They drank in these new sights with glee, and finally Voldemort spoke.

"Ahh, Sseverusss.  And how hass hiding ssuited you?" he hissed, and Nagini slid into the room, feeling her master's change of mood.

Severus stood there in the center of the circle and shrugged.  Voldemort felt rather than heard Lucius' sharp intake of breath.  Lucius….yes, that was one man not so fearless as he thought himself.  For his part, Voldemort had to admire his traitor's courage as the man stood and looked Death in the face.

Severus heard the gasp, and smirked.  "Having fun, are we, Lucius?"

Voldemort interrupted before Malfoy found the nerve to answer.  "If you want back into the fold, Sseverusss, you're wasting my time."  He began to turn away in dismissal.

But the traitor stood there, and narrowed his eyes, and got to the point.  "You have something of mine.  I want him back."

Anxious murmurs trembled through the circle as their leader surveyed the traitor.  Voldemort held up one spidery hand and began to tick off points, a mocking gleam in his eyes.  "Ssomething of yourss…let me ssee.  I suppose you ssaw Dumbledore as some ssort of father figure….oh, but he's dead.  How tragic."  He checked off another point.  "I highly doubt you consider any of your teaching colleagues as 'yourss'….And of course you couldn't care lesss for most of the sstudentss.  Well then, Sseverusss, for whom did you come?"

He placed a subtle emphasis on the final word, but only his loyal minions reacted.  Angrily now he gestured for quiet.

The traitor shifted on his feet.  Malfoy gave a low chuckle but Voldemort knew the motion not to be fear.  "Tired, are we, Sseverusss?"

"Simply sore," the traitor answered casually.  "You might want to give Rodolphus a few refresher courses in attempted amputation."

Lestrange glared.  "I'll show you amputation –"

"Please, not on my nice floor."  Lestrange shut up instantly.  All eyes went to the newcomer.  Nagini hissed, and he pointed at her.  "One sound, snake, and it'll be to Hagrid's hut with you."  He spoke in English with a warning glance at Voldemort, who slowly inclined his head.  "Please remove her, Tom?"  It was delivered in a calm, quiet voice, but was certainly not a question.

Harry Potter advanced to the circle, nodded to some of the Death Eaters, then raised his stubborn chin and gave Severus a piercing look.  They held each other's gaze as the moments stretched by, as the Death Eaters began to shift awkwardly.  Pure green eyes met damned black ones with an intensity that sent Severus's heard pounding.

Harry broke the gaze first, glanced at Lucius to his right and back to the man in front of him.  He asked in a whisper soft as Fawkes' final croon, "What do you want, Severus?"

Severus stared back at him, captured his eyes and held them, willing them to see what he did.  He felt if he simply held on long enough, eventually the past would reassert itself and all of this would come to an end.  "You."

The Death Eaters smirked.  Harry paused, considering.  He gazed at the ceiling, watching wispy clouds trail by.  Lucius murmured to his neighbors and now all of them were laughing at the traitor.

"Yes."

Severus's head snapped to face Harry, and Lucius let out a pitiful moan.  Harry turned slowly to him.  "I beg your pardon?"  His finger twitched, and suddenly Lucius was on the floor screaming and screaming, writhing grotesquely.  Harry let up after a minute, scuffed his shoe at a trickle of foamy blood, and elaborated.  "You may have me for one day and one night.  At the end of that time," he met the man's eyes, "I shall have you.  Your life, to be precise.  It will be freely and willingly given.  Once you accept my terms, you may not rescind."

It took Severus a moment to speak.  "One night and day…alone?"

Harry nodded slowly.  Tom would be awfully put out, but the Dark Lord simply would not be able to enjoy himself if Tom hung around.  And really – it was time for him and Severus to put the past behind them, to close that chapter of their lives.  Harry had plans.  He had not achieved so many deaths – Dumbledore's for starters – simply to let his heart rule him.

And that was why at the end of their night, Severus would die.  It was necessary, and both of them knew it.

But now they would not talk of that.  Now Harry would slowly walk over, take Severus's hand and trace the thin scar down that palm.  Severus would shiver, and then, staring into his eyes, Harry would lead him out of the Hall, to the staircase and upwards.  And then to the very pinnacle of Gryffindor Tower they would go, to a tiny room barely large enough for a four-poster, and slowly and lovingly Harry would push Severus onto the silken sheets, and for a day and a night they would have each other.

And after that, nothing.


End file.
